Spring-hinge



D. NICKEL.

SPRING HINGE.

(No Model.)

No. 350,208. Patented Oct.. 5, 1886.

Illlllll llllllllll IIIHIIIII I y NMEIIIIIIII UNITED STATES DAVID NICKEL, OF MORRIS, ILLINOIS.

SPRING- HINGE.

"SPECIFICATION forming part ofNLetters Patent No. 350,208, dated October 5, 1886.

Application filed July 6, HSG.

To all whom, it may concern..-

VEe it known that I. DAVID NICKEL, a citizen of the llnited States, residing at Morris, Illinois, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Spring'Hnges, of which the follriiwing is a speciiication.

The object ol' my invention is to make a spring-hinge in which the tension ot' the spring may be increased from time to time and automatically locked or held at any desired degree ot' tension; and my invention consists in the features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top view ot' my improved hinge. Fig. 2 is a t'ront elevation ofthe same. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal sectional view taken through the center otl the springinclosing barrel, showing the spring and the pintle or retainingpin; and Fig. 4 is a top view taken across the parts atlc in Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings, myimprovenient is applied to a three-leafhinge, or one in which the door or gate may be opened in either direction, though it is obvious that it can be applied with equal ease and advantage to a twoleat' hinge.

In the drawings, A, 13, and (j are respectively three leaves of a hinge. I) is the tension-spring; E, the seat or piece in which the lower end ofthe springis placed; F, thcspringinelosing barrel or ease; G, the toothed cap or piece placed over the upper end ot' the spring and itscase; II, an auxiliar)T spri ng; I, ablock or eluteh `with a tongue or extension, t', which engages with the teeth on the cap G, and which. is held in such eugagementby the spring` II.

J is a pintle or rod, around which the spring H is coiled, and on which the clutch or block I is held, and up and down which it moves; and K is the retaining rod or pintle, by which the parts ot` the hinge are pivoted and held together.

In making my improved hinge I make the leaves with the usual cars, lugs, or projections, by which they may loe pivoted or fastened together. These ears or lugs fit one within the other in the usual way, and as shown in the drawings. They are provided vwith holes, through which aretainingv rod or pivot, K, may he inserted, though the leaves ofthe hinge may Serial No. 207,218.

(No model.)

be pivoted or riveted together in other ways, if desired. Immediately on the inside of the inside ears ot' the leaves I place blocks or pieces E and G. The lower one of these pieces, F, is fixed or made irrevoluble, and is preferably smaller at its upper end than at its lower, and provided with an abrupt shoulder or enlarge` ment, as shown in Fig. 3. If desired, it may be east as a part of the ear or lug ot' the hinge leaf, instead ol' being made as a separate piece. The upper one of these pieces, G, is made revoluble, and is hollowed out for a portion ol'its length and provided with a series ofteeth sloping somewhat from one side. This wi ll be plain from a reference to the drawings. these pieces E and G is provided with a hole, in which the end of the spring may be inserted to retain it in place, as hereinafter described. A spring-retaining barrelY or ease, F, is made of the proper length to fit between the pieces E and G, encircling the upper end ofthe piece E and titting against its shoulder or enlargement, and having its upper encircled or inclosed by the piece G. This barrel or case contains a spring, I), whose ends project and iit into theholcs in the pieces E and G. The springretaining case, with its spring in place, is fitted onto the block E and into the block G, with the ends of the spring placed in the holes in such pieces, and the whole is then placed between the inner ears or lugs of the leaves, and the rod K, when that method of fastening is adopted, inserted in place. This fastens the leaves ofthe hinge together, with the springbarrel, spring, and pieces E and G in their proper position. In one of the leaves of the hinge are preferably east or attached two projections or lugs, M and O, between which is placed a rod or pintle, J. A coiled spring in'- closes this rod and a block-piece or clutch, I, is placed at its upper end, resting upon the spring and movable up and down on the rod. In placing this piece I onto the rod J the spring II should be sufficiently compressed to exert a tension or pressure against it, so as t0 constantly push. it up as far as possible. The side of this piece I adjacent to the piece G is provided with a narrowed portion adapted to engage with the teeth on the piece G. As the piece G is turned, the piece I will be pushed Each oi' down by the inclined portions of the teeth on the piece G, so that they may pass the piece Iin one direction. Owing to their being made "without any slant on the other side, the teeth NVhile I have described the clutch I as being moved or pushed into the spaces between the teeth by a coiled spring mounted on a pintle, I do not wish to limit myself to this kind'of a spring or arrangement, as any kind of a spring, or even a weight, to force the clutch back into engagement with the teeth of the revoluble piece G will answer the purpose. It will be seen that the teeth of the piece G- are automatically engaged with the `narrowed edge or tongue Von the piece I, and that the piece G- is automatically locked as to one direction by the piece I after every tooth is passed. The piece G may be turned by the point of a screwdriver or any other instrument which may be inserted between the teeth, so as to afford a leverage to force it around, or by any other As it turns, it carries the.

convenient means. end ofthe spring which was inserted in the hole in it around with it, so as to more tightly coil the spring and increase its tension.- The farther around it is turned the tighter will be the ceiling of the spring and the greater will be its tension. Vith the passage of each tooth, however, past the piece I the piece G will be automatically locked and prevented from uncoiling the spring. In this way the spring may have its tension increased from time to time, or from year to year, as may be desired. By having the upper end of thespring-case F inserted within the piece G, and by having its lower end inclose or encircle the top of piece E, as shown in the drawings, the spring will be protected fully from rain or other sources of dampness, so that its strength and elasticity will ,not be liable to be impaired by rust or other injurious means, and when one spring has become useless or worn out the pieces may be taken apart and a new spring inserted with out any considerable trouble or expense.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In spring hinges, the combination of leaves of suitable form pivotally connected together, a spring coiled around the axis of such leaves and having one of its ends attached to a xed part of the hinge and its other end attached to a-revoluble part of the hinge, by which its coils may be tightened and its tension increased, such revoluble part being pro vided with teeth inclined on one side, an auxiliary spring located outside ofthe axis of the hinge, and a clutch connected therewith and movable against or from the tension of the spring, engaging at one side with the teeth on the revoluble piece of the hinge, and movable by the inclined sides of the teeth out of and by the spring into the. notches or spaces between such teeth, substantially as described.

2. In spring hinges, the combination of leaves. of suitable form pivotally connected together, a spring coiled around the axis of such leaves, inclosed in a case or barrel, and having one of its ends attached to a fixed part oi' the hinge and its other end attached to arevoluble part of the hinge, by which its coils may be tightened and its tension increased, such revoluble part being provided with teeth inclined on one side, an auxiliary springlocated outside ofthe axis of the hinge, and a clutch connected therewith and movable against or from the tension of the spring, engaging at one side with the teeth on the revoluble piece of the hinge, and movable by the inclined sides ofthe teeth out of and by the spring into the notches or spaces betweensucb teeth, substantially as described.

3. In spring hinges, the combination of leaves of suitable form pivotally connected together, a spring coiled around the axis of such leaves and having one of its ends attached to a fixed part of t-he hinge and its other end attached to a revoluble part of the hinge, by which its coils may be tightened and its tension increased, such` revoluble part being pro- .vided with teeth inclined on one side, a coiled spring mounted on a pintle outside of the axis of the hinge, and a clutch mountedon such .pintle and movable thereon against or from the tension oi' the spring, engaging at one side with the teeth on the revolublc piece of the h inge,fand movable by the inclined sides ot' the teeth out of and by the spring into `the notches or spaces between such teeth, substantially as described.

DAVID NICKEL. Witnesses:

J osnPH G. COLEMAN, GEQRGE C. Coox.

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